Burglar-trap.



I. RAFFEL. BUBGLAR TRAP. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1911.

2 I 2 m /1 a I 3 O m. ,2 A 4 a d 2 x1 w 2 w P wue wtoz ISAAC BAFFEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BURGLAR-TBAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 11212.

Application filed November 14, 1911. Serial No. 660,210.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ISAAC RAFFEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burglar-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means to be located at the cashiers window of a bank to prevent the escape of a person who makes an attempt to hold up and rob the cashier or teller who may be serving at such window.

It is known that a person intent on robbery may enter a bank during business hours but at a time when business is quiet and dull, and take position outside of the cashiers window at the same time presenting a loaded pistol in the face of the official behind the window and demand the immediate handing over of a sum of money.

The object of this invention is to provide means which, when sprung or set in motion, will grapple and entrap such robber.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which, Figure 1 is a front or outside view of part of a bank cashiers window. Fig. 2 on a larger scale is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 immediately below the top of the cashiers counter, and shows a plan view of the machanism. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the mechanism below the cashiers counter. Fig. 4 is an elevation view of the mechanism as seen directly in front of the position where the cashier or teller stands. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the guide rollers.

The window, 1, of the cashier or teller who handles the money may be of any of the usual or well known construct-ions; the money counter or table, 2, is on a level with the base of the said window, and the vertical wall, 3, extends from the floor, 4, to the said counter, 2, and closes the space below the latter.

Two movable gripping arms, 5, 5, have position below the cashiers counter or table, 2, and the free ends, 6, of these arms are curved toward each other, and these ends are in position to register with slots, 7 in the said vertical wall, 3. Means are provi'ded and located below the counter for pushing the two arms through the said slots, and at the same time causing the arms to swing with their curved ends toward each other in front of the cashiers window and take the position indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2, and therebs grapple the robber.

Each grip arm, 5, has an eye, 8, at its inner end, and a pin, 9, in this eye is fixed to a slidable bar, 10, whose two ends fit in slots, 11, in two horizontal brackets, 12, which are secured to the under surface of the counter or table, 2. The bar, 10, is slidable in the slots, 11, and by this sliding movement of the bar the two grip arms, 5, may be thrust outward or drawn back.

To effect the outward movement of the bar, 10, and the two arms, 5, a treadle clevice in the present instance is employed. This treadle device comprises two upright levers, 18, each having at its upper end a slot, 14, to receive the rounded end, 15, of the slidable bar, 10; the said two levers are pivoted on a rod or shaft, 16, connecting two standards, 17, which are secured to the floor by bolts, 18; the short lower end of each upright lever, 14, is loosely jointed at 19, to a bell-crank lever, 20, and the two bell-crank levers, are pivoted to rock on a shaft, 21, whose ends are in said standards, 17 A plate or foot-piece, 22, is on the lower arms of the two bell-crank levers. It will be understood that when a persons foot is pressed on the foot-piece, 22, the effect will be to force the slidable bar, 10, toward the vertical wall, 3, and to cause the two grip arms, 5, to project through the slots, 7

To cause the free ends of the two grip arms, 5, 5, to swing toward each other, when they have been pushed outward, a roller, 23, is mounted on a bar, 24, secured by two screws, 25, to the under side of the counter, 2. A roller of this kind bears against each arm, and the position of the rim of the roller, or the position of the pin on which the roller turns, is such relative to the position of the pin, 9, on which the eye, 8, of the arm is pivoted that when the bar, 10, has nearly completed its outwardly-sliding movement, the two rollers, 23, will push sidewise on the two arms, 5, and cause their free curved ends to swing toward each other and thus grip the robber.

To keep each pivoted grip-arm, 5, in contact with the roller, 23, a second roller, 26, which is also mounted on the bar, 24, bears against the grip arm at the side directly opposite said roller, 28.

A suitable spring catch holder is provided to retain the slidable bar, 10, and the two grip arms at their outward position. The particular spring holder shown comprises a spring plate, 27, having a beak hook, 28; in this instance the spring plate is secured to a block, 29, that may be fastened either to the under side of the counter, 2, or to the vertical wall, 3; when the bar, 10, slides outward it will ride up the incline of the beakhook, 28, causing the spring plate to yield downwardly and then when the bar has passed the beak, the hook part will engage the bar and hold it.

In order to make the grip-arms, 5, stifi enough to resist the efforts of a robber to spring the two arms apart in order to get loose these arms are shown with a bead or rib extending along the side.

If the cashier or teller should be assailed, or have a pistol pointed at him by a man at the outer side of the window intent on robbery, he would put his foot on the treadle or foot-piece, 22, and depress it and the result would be the two arms, 5, would grab the robber.

The drawings show one form or one construction of mechanism for operating the concealed grip-arms whereby said arms are thrust outward from their place of concealment, and also whereby the free ends of the said arms are swung toward each other and caused to grip the would-be robber.

While the foregoing specification is descriptive of the said one particular form of mechanism, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made in the shape, form and details of construction of said mechanism and still have substantially the same operation and produce the same result; the appended claims are therefore intended to cover such changes and modifications.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In an apparatus of the character setforth, the combination of a counter; two gripping arms concealed below the top of the counter and the inner ends of both arms being pivoted to a slidable bar; means to move said bar and cause the arms to project from their place of concealment, and means to swing said arms on their pivots toward each other, this mechanism being under the control of and operable by a person behind the counter.

2. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a counter, of two gripping arms concealed below the counter and movable outwardly; means for thrusting said arms outward from their place of concealment, means for swinging the outwardly-thrust ends of the arms toward each other, and a treadle device for imparting motion to said outward-thrusting means and operable by a person behind the said counter.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, the combination of a counter; two movable gripping arms below the top of the counter; a slidable bar to which one endof both grip-arms are jointed leaving the other ends of said arms free; levers to move said slidable bar and cause both arms to be thrust outwardly; means for swinging the free ends of the arms toward each other as they are thrust out; and a treadle device connected with said levers.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC RAFFEL.

Witnesses:

FELIX R. SULLIVAN, G. FERD. Vocr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington,

Commissioner of Patents, D. C. 

